Insulated rail-joint.



J. A. BODKIN.

INSULATED RAIL JOINT.

APPLIUATIUN FILED Nov.6,1911.

1,057,406, Patented Apr. 1, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. A. BODKIN.

` INSULATBD RAILv JOINT. APPLICATION FILED Nov. e. 1911.

1,057,406.I muted Apr; 1, 1913.

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JOHNQA. onKIN, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

iNsULA'rED RAIL-Joram'.

Specification of Letters Patent.- l

Patented Apr. 1, 1913.

'Application led November 6, 1911. Serial No. 658,726.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. Bonnin, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York city, county of New York, State of New York, haveinvented .a certain new and useful Improvementin Insulated Rail- Joints,and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, -such as will enable others skilled in the art to .which itpertains to make and use lthe same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has for its object to produce a simple, rigid and durablejoint for mechanically connecting together the ends of rails whileinsulating the rails from each other..

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterizedwill behereinafter pointed out with particularity in the claims, but fora full understanding of my invention and of its object and advantages,reference may be had to t-he following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying dra-wings, wherein:

Figure 1 isla side view of two meeting rail ends secured together withmy improved joint; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken directly beneaththe heads being broken away to show the manner of insulating` certain ofthe bolts; Fig. 3 is an end view looking toward the right in Fig. 1, therail being shown in section; Fig. 4 is an end view looking toward theleft in Fig.v1, therail being in section; and Fig. 5 is a perspectiveview of one of the joint members.

Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2 represent two'ladjacent rail endswhich itris desired to fasten together mechanically while insulatingthem from each other electrically. V1n accordance with my invention,

`the joint itself, aside from the insulation and the bolts, consists ofthree pieces, preferably castings. The first of these pieces `comprisesa base plate 3 above one end of which lie two splice bar members 4 and5. The ,members 4 and 5 preferably extend of the rails, parts from oneend of the base plate to the middle where they terminate in laterallyextending iianges 6 and 7. The members 4 and 5 form with the base platea shell-like member for receiving one of the rail ends, the rail endbeing slipped between the two splice bar members until it comes flushwith the flanges 6 and 7. The members 4 and 5 fit in the usual waybetween the head and the. base flange of the rail, while room is leftbetween the base plate and the underside of the base of the rail for aslab of insulating material 8. The members'4 and 5 are secured to therail by the usual bolts 9 and 10 which pass through these members andthe web ofthe rail. It will thus be seen that there is metallic contactbetween the rail 1 and the splice bar members 4 and 5, whilethe base Iissupported from beneathon a slab of insulating material which rests upona rigid foundation. The free end of the base plate 3 underlies thesecond rail end, 2; the slab of insulating material 8 preferablyextending throughout the length of the base plate so that both railsrest upon an insulating material. Hal-f length splice bars 11 and 12engage directly with and are secured to the rail 2 by means of .anyusualfastening such as the usual bolts 13 and 14, similar to the bolts 9and 10. The ends of the splice bar members lland 1Q adjacent to the endof the rail with which they are associated are provided with laterallyprojecting flanges 15 and 1G similar to the flanges @and 7 Between theflanges G, 7 and the flanges 15, 16is placed a post of insulatingmaterial 17, this post preferably extending completely across the jointand taking the configuration of the outer edges of the flanges.v The twosets of ianges are rigidly secured together by means of bolts 18 and 19extending through the. flanges parallel with the longitudinal axis oftherails. The bolts are insulated. preferably from both flanges by means ofinsulating bushings 2O which surround them. and insulating washers 21which overlie the outer faces of the flanges. The splice bar mei- SliAof .the joint to each other.

hers and l2 are provided with laterally extending foot fianges Q2 and Q3wliiclif.over:

lie the portion ot the base plate whichwprojects outwardly beyond thesides of the rails, but do not'come in contact with the base plate; thusproviding an air gap between the members lland l2 and making room forthe insulating slab S, it it be desired to malte the slab wide enoughfor vthis purpose. The flanges 2Q and 23 are secured to the base plateby means oi. vertical bolts and-.25 which are insulated either frominsulating bushings to be placed around the bolts. The insulation oit'the bolts'froin the rllhe base plate may be strengthened by avdownwardly pr jecting rib or truss 30, that in 'the arrangement showncomprises a single' memberarranged midway between the ends of the baseplate. andl along the longitudinal 'center thereof, so as to reinforcethebase rails.

ilt will thus be seen that l have provided an insulating'joint in whichthere is no insulation between the rails and the members fare boltedthereto, theI only insulation -bei-ng between the rail ends, between thebase plate and the bases of the rails and around the bolts which fastenthe members l Furthermore, the, rigid base plate which is integral withthe splice bar members engaging with one ot" the rails, gives a verysecure support for both rails in the vertical direction, the stifliness'of the vbase plate being increased by the truss on the undersidethereof. The bolts which fasten t-ljie flanges oi the splice barstogether and which fasten the separable splice ,bars to the base plateare arranged. at considerable distances from the longiplatc directlyv atlthe juncture of the -tudinal axis of. the rail .so that the bolts all.

have a long ,leverage and exert a powerful resistance against distortionor displace! ment of' one rail relative to theotlier.

I claim: i

l. In combination, two meeting rail ends,

. l \u Y a'base platel underlying both ofvsaidsrail .'ends, splice barsintegral `withrone end of the base plate and engaging-with one' ot therails, splice bars detachably connected to the vother end of the. baseplate and connected with the other rail, the meeting ends ofsacl splicevbars being provided with laterally projectiing` flanges, and .means forsecuring said flanges together.

2. A connectingfdevice'for railway `rails comprising a base plate havingat one .end integral half length splice bars, detachable half lengthsplice bars connected to the'other 'end of the base plate, said splicebars having laterally projecting flanges, land means forconnecting saidflanges together. As an article of manufacture, a rail joint membercomprising a base plate having integral splice 'bars extending from oneend of the base plate to the center', said splice bars being. providedwith outwardly projecting flanges at .their inner` ends. f

4. As an` article of manufacture, arail joint member comprising a baseplate having integral splice bars extending from one end of the baseplate to 'the centen-said splice bars being provided with outwardlyprojecting flanges at their inner ends, and a truss ext-endingdownwardly from said base plate.

5.1As an article' or" manufacture, a'rail joint .member comprising abase plate having integral splice bars extending from one end of thebase plate to the center, said,

splice bars being provided with: outwardly projecting flanges at theirinner ends, and an integral truss extending 'downwardly from the baseplate along the center thereof.

G. As an article of manufacture, a base plate having integral halflength splice bar members extending from the center toward one end andlaterally projecting flanges connecting the inner ends @of 'the splicebar members with the base plate.

7. In combination, two meeting rail ends,

a base plate underlying both of said lrail ends, .half length splicebars lformed in.

tegral with one end of thebase plate and engaging with one of saidrailends, half length splice bars engaging with the other' rail end, thelatter splice bars having foot flanges extending outwardly and lying atsome di tance above the base plate, bolts connecting said, foot flangesto said base plate, bolts connecting the splice bars to the rails, saidsplice bars having laterally pro jecting flanges at their meeting ends,and means for connecting the latter flanges together. f f' 8. lncombination, two meeting rail ends, a base plate underlying both of saidrail ends, a slab of iiisulatii'ig material interposed between said baseplate and the bases of the rails, said base plate having integralsplice' bars at one end thereof, means for In testimony whereof, I, signthis specifiseourlng the aforesaid splice bars to .the oorcatlon in thepresence of two witnesses. responding 'rail end, detachable splice barsconnected to the other rail end, insulated JOHN A. BODKIN.y connectionsbetween the latter splice bars and said base plate, an insulating post.be- 7itnessesz tween said rail ends, and insulated connee- RAY J.VILLSEY,

tions between the two sets of splice bars. C. C. KESLER.

